


At The Fair

by fishfingersandjellybabies



Category: Batman (Comics), Superman (Comics)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-22
Updated: 2016-09-22
Packaged: 2018-08-16 16:00:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8108593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fishfingersandjellybabies/pseuds/fishfingersandjellybabies
Summary: They weren’t friends, not yet. But they were dads. And even dads get insecure. Especially the superhero ones





	

**Author's Note:**

> Superman #7 and Trinity #1 absolutely killed me. I had a lot of super dad feels. Also, everyone in this is in some sort of plaid. Like EVERYBODY. It’s implied. #GiveBruceWayneMorePlaid2016 !!!!!!

The county fair.

Bruce had never been to one. Planned on _never_ going to one because – why _would_ you.  

But. Damian had… _befriended_ the new Superboy, and the new Super _man_ insisted.

And Damian said yes before Bruce could decline. It was on his tongue though. He swears.

And where Damian goes – Dick inevitably finds out about and comes along too. Especially to something like this.

So, instead of being two (superhero) fathers with their two (superhero) sons, it became two fathers, one wife, _six_ sons (a third of them grown), one daughter and a cousin.

And Bruce wasn’t _pouting_. He _wasn’t_. He was just unsure, suspicious. This Clark Kent wasn’t _his_ Clark Kent. He didn’t know if he could trust him, or the son currently tossing rings onto bottles with Damian and Jason.

He also might have been…a _little_ jealous. Watching this Lois and Clark interact with their son. There was so much love there, and it was so _obvious_. Communication between father and son. Affection. He watched as Jon threw his arms around Clark, leaned up to kiss his cheek, shouted his thanks for something and then raced off, grabbing Damian by the wrist and dragging him down the midway towards the rollercoaster. Conner and Tim – the assumed babysitters – chased after them.

It became a race, then. Tim and Conner shouting after their younger counterparts, while the two in the lead looked back with laughter.

He watched the lane long past the kids disappearing into the crowd. Didn’t realize Clark was standing next to him until he was.

“You okay, Bruce?” Clark asked, even as Bruce jumped near out of his skin. He smiled when Bruce glared up at him.

“Yeah, I…I’m fine.”

“You sure?” Clark pushed. “I mean. I totally get it. Your first time at a fair can be a little daunting. These places are crazy.”

“Yes, I just.” He sighed. “Don’t get to places like this very often.”

“…Look, Bruce. I know you didn’t want to come. I know you still don’t trust me, or Lois. I know this is still _weird_ for you.” Clark shrugged, shoving his hands into his pockets. “But, really. I truly appreciate the effort. And, even if this doesn’t help you trust us – _me_ – more, then, well. At least it’s good for Jon and Damian and the kids.”

“Hmm.” Bruce responded. And he doesn’t know why, maybe it’s because he looked so much like his _real_ friend, because Jon and Damian were so happy, because he was feeling vulnerable, or because Lois was glancing at him like she could see right through him, and knew his greatest fear.

And maybe she did.

He doesn’t know why, but he asked.

“…Clark?” Bruce turned his head towards the alien, but kept his eyes on the children remaining. On Jason, forcing Dick to give him a piggyback ride, and Kara chatting Cassandra’s ear off. “…How do you do it?”

“Do what?”

Bruce hesitated, pursing his lips as Lois walked over to his older children, funnel-cake in hand.

“…Be a hero _and_ a dad?”

Clark seemed surprised, even took a step back, and ducked a little, to take in Bruce’s face completely.

“…Stop it.” Bruce warned after a moment, though without much venom, and Clark sensed his blush.

“Sorry, Bruce, I just.” Clark frowned, almost, and held his hand out to Bruce’s forehead. “You feeling okay?”

Bruce jerked away and crossed his arms.

“Sorry, sorry.” Clark laughed. “I just…I dunno. I don’t know why you’re asking.”

“Because, it seems…” Bruce sighed. “It seems I can only be one or the other. I can’t seem to multitask, or… _adapt_ or _learn_.” He looked up, as he saw Tim and the others returning. Jon was up on Conner’s shoulders, and Damian, surprisingly, on Tim’s back. “And I just…I feel like my children are suffering for it.”

 _And I don’t want that_ , remained unsaid.

Clark paused, watched as Lois found the boys, pulled Jon’s hat down over his face and ruffled Damian’s hair, while wrapping her arms around Tim and Conner both.

“…Well, if it’s any consolation, I think you’re doing fine.” Clark offered. “You’re doing the best you can. I mean – you’re _Batman_ , I think your kids understand.”

“ _The best I can_ isn’t _good enough_ , then.” Bruce snapped, loud enough that Jon looked over in curiosity. Clark smiled at him and waved him away, and Lois immediately distracted him with cotton candy. “Damian and I…or even _Dick_ and I or _Jason_ and I…we don’t act like you and Jon do.”

Clark snorted. “Bruce, you can’t compare you and your kids to me and Jon. Jon – and Conner – and I have gone through different things than you all have. For one, I knew when Lois was pregnant, I was there when Jon was born. It’s unfortunate, but you didn’t have that with any of them. With _Damian_.” A pause. “Damian _died_ , and…and thank the lucky stars, I’ve never lost Jon.”

They both stopped.

“…Our experiences are different. How we love our kids, and how they love us, is _different_.” Clark whispered. “Besides, Bruce. _Really_. I think you’re doing a great job as it is.”

“…You can’t make that conclusion.” Bruce decided. “You don’t know me, Mr. _Smith_.”

“Yes I do.” Clark grinned. “I know you better than you’d like to admit. You’re awfully similar to _my_ Bruce, way back when.”

“That doesn’t mean we’re the same _person_.” Bruce huffed, and it was halfhearted.

Clark laughed, as Damian and Jon were suddenly approaching. Jon immediately began to chatter away, a mile a minute as he tugged on Clark’s jacket. Damian was quieter, as he came up to Bruce, face thoughtful as he looked up.

“Miss Lois bought us cotton candy.” Damian explained slowly. “…Want some?”

Bruce blinked, then smiled, and nodded, crouching down to Damian’s level, as Damian tore a piece off for him. Damian held it out, accidentally bouncing it off of Bruce’s nose. It left a fluff there, and Damian couldn’t help but… _giggle_. Bruce smiled wider, biting the candy right out off of Damian’s fingertips.

“…Trust me, Bruce.” Clark whispered softly, wrapping Jon into his own arms. Damian laughed again, muttering about how his father was gross, and he saw where Drake got it from. “You’re doing _just_ _fine_.”


End file.
